Hell or High Water | JJ Maybank [2]

six

AFTER WITNESSING AN underage marriage and getting talked into officiating it by John B and Sarah, Jo was more than ready to get the hell off that boat and have some space between the lovebirds. The more she watched them interact, the more she missed JJ. She was desperate to see him again. She craved to be in his right hold, feel his breath on her neck and his lips against hers.

Unfortunately, she'd have to wait a little longer because they had landed in Charleston. The three teens were exhausted and starving as they trudged up the sidewalk from the dock, John B thinking aloud about finding food and then getting gas before setting sail again.

"How are we gonna pay for gas?" Jo queried as they walked.

"I'll figure it out," John B shrugged.

"Oh, right." Jo dragged out her syllables sarcastically. "Like that's worked so well for you in the past."

"Okay, you got any ideas?" The boy retorted.

"I do, actually," Jo said with a smirk. "Follow my lead." She sauntered through a fancy restaurant and bumped into a nearby waiter, watching in feign shock as he spilled a glass of water all over the man at the table. Sarah jumped back and brought her hands to her mouth, widening her eyes to make her act believable.

"You idiot!" The man cried. He stood up and shrugged his jacket off, spinning around to face Jo. "This is a $1,700 jacket!"

"I'm so sorry," Jo gushed. "That was a hundred percent on me, I'm sorry. I'm bumped into him."

"You're saying you're gonna pay for it?" The man challenged angrily.

"I don't have any money," Jo said quietly. "I'm broke." She backed away from the man and placed her palm on the table, discretely swiping a wad of cash from the man. "I'm so, so sorry, sir. We just lost our dad and we - we're just trying to get to our grandma's house."

"Save your sob story," the man scoffed. "Pathetic."

Jo turned around and rolled her eyes as she walked away. Sarah began to leave the scene, but turned and walked backwards so she could face the man. "There's no need for name-calling, sir," she deadpanned.

Once they were a safe distance away, Jo smirked and pulled out the money from her pocket. "Bingo," she chimed. "And that, my friends, is how you swindle the rich."

Sarah and John B whooped excitedly. "That's what I'm talking about!" John B cried.

"Hotdogs, anyone?" Jo hummed happily. "How many y'all want?"

"Fifty," Sarah replied instantly. "I'm so hungry."

"Fifty?" Jo repeated with a giggle. They approached a small corner store that had a gas pump out front and Jo handed the money off the John B. "Fifty hotdogs please, good sir," she requested in a silly accent.